The invention relates to an irrigation apparatus that is particularly suitable for the convenient and efficient watering of young trees. Of course, the irrigation apparatus can be used to similarly water other types of plants.
Trees are most commonly watered with a garden hose. However, this irrigation technique is highly inefficient. In time, the soil surface around a tree tends to become crusted over, which results in poor percolation of water through the soil and consequent runoff. This problem is compounded if the immediately adjacent landscape is sloped, and also if dry weather conditions persist. Decreasing the flow from the hose to a rate that matches achievable percolation may minimize runoff, but much more time is required. Slowly watering one tree at a time can become very time consuming, and will often result in watering one tree all day while other trees remain dry.
Various irrigation devices have been developed and patented over the years in an attempt to overcome the above-mentioned problems. The general design of such irrigation devices includes a tubular injector having an upper inlet and outlet holes below the upper inlet. The injector is inserted into the soil at an appropriate location near the tree, and a source of water is provided to communicate with the upper inlet of the injector. Consequently, water flows downwardly through the interior of the injector and then exits through the outlet holes so as to flow into the soil and be absorbed by the roots. Although such prior irrigation devices have worked satisfactorily to some extent, further improvement would be desirable.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved irrigation apparatus that is convenient, easy to use, and highly efficient.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an irrigation apparatus having an injector that can be left in the ground if desired and mated with a reservoir whenever it is desired to water the tree or other plant.
The above objects are realized, as will be apparent from the following Detailed Description, by an irrigation apparatus comprising: a tubular injector having an outwardly and radially extending peripheral shoulder, an upper portion extending above the shoulder to an upper inlet, and a lower portion having a plurality of outlet holes and extending below the shoulder to a lower end so that at least a lowermost section of the lower portion is tapered; and a reservoir having an open top and a substantially closed bottom with an opening sized to exteriorly and removably mate with the upper portion of the tubular injector.